Endless conveyors



06L 1957 J. M. LEACH. 2,808,146

ENDLESS CONVEYORS 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1953 -H iNVENTORQ Oct. 1, 1957 Filed Sept. 22, 1953 J. M. LEACH ENDLESS CONVEYORS @2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent ENDLESS CONVEYORS John M. Leach, Port Washington, N. Y.

Application September 22, 1953, Serial No. 381,600

4 Claims. or. 198-189) The present invention relates to conveyors. More particularly, it relates to conveyors of the endless type. This invention constitutes an improvement on the invention covered by Letters Patent No. 2,609,082, issued September 2, 1952, to the present applicant. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor, of the trolley type which can make both vertical and horizontal turns without requiring the aid of external traction wheels or guide rollers, will at the same time have 7 full rolling contact throughout the entire system, and will be capable of either directly supporting and carrying or towing loads to be transported.

Other objects and advantage-s of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the now preferred form of the invention proceeds.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trolley of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the trolley of Figure l.

of the present invention showing a representative type of directly mounted work support.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the conveyor of the present invention showing work supported directly by the trolleys and the track making a vertical rise.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section of the track of the present invention showing a trolley having a directly connected work support of a different type.

Figure 9 is a vertical cross section of the track of the present invention showing a trolley connected so as to tow a wheeled pallet across a work table.

The trolleys of the present invention each comprise a main member which is preferably a plate 10, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, which is provided with vertically positioned wheels 12 which are supported by axles 14 suitably connected to the plate. A horizontally positioned wheel 16 is supported by an axle 18 suitably connected to the plate end and positioned within an opening 20 which is formed in the plate to provide a space for the wheel 16.

The wheels 12 are preferably 4 in number although two, six, or any other desired number may be used.

The track of the present invention comprises two spaced apart track sections 22 and 24 having horizontally disposed faces 26 and 28 respectively, and two additionally desired type, such "ice ets 42. The connection between the track sections and 1 the bracket is made in any desired manner but preferably by welding. These brackets also serve as facilities for fastening the track to any desired supporting surface.

The trolleys are positioned between the track sections as shown in Figure 4 so that on straight runs the vertical wheels 12 roll on the horizontal surfaces 26 and 28 of the track sections 22 and 24, respectively. The horizontally disposed wheel 16 may also contact either surface 38 or surface 40 of the track section 30 and 32, respectively, for the purpose of guiding the trolleys. 0n vertical down runs the rolling contact is the same and on vertical up runs the contact may be the same or the wheels 12 may rise and contact the horizontal surfaces 34 and 36 of the track sections 30 and 32, respectively, depending on how much vertical load is carried by each trolley.

On horizontal turns, for example on a horizontal turn 7 in the direction of the arrow A shown in Figure 4, each trolley will rock slightly so that the wheels 12 to the left as seen in this view will remain in contact with the horizontal face 28 of the track 24, the vertical wheels 12 to i the right will raise slightly and roll in contact with the horizontal surface 34 of the track 30 and the horizontal wheel 16 will roll in contact with the vertical surface 38 of the track member 30. On a horizontal turn in the opposite direction to arrow A each trolley will rock slightly so that the horizontal wheel 16 will come into rolling contact with the vertical face 40 of the track section 32, the vertical wheels 12 to the right in that view will remain in rolling contact with the horizontal face 26 of the track section 22, and the vertical wheels 12 to the left will rise slightly and come into rolling contact with the horizontal face 36 of the track section 32. In this manner full rolling contact is maintained throughout the entire run of the conveyor and no sliding or rubbing contact takes place at any point.

The successive trolleys are connected by connectors 44 as shown in Figure 3. These connectors may be of any as rod links, sections of chain, sections of cable, etc.

sired type of drive (which is not shown) which may be of either the sprocket or caterpillar type.

The conveyor of the present invention has many applications and only a few of the preferred ones will be shown in detail in this application. For example, in Figure 4 the conveyor is shown as positioned in a pit 46 beneath the surface of a slab type floor 48. Treads 50 are preferably although not necessarily provided to support the wheels 52 of the wheeled carrier 54. Each of the wheeled carriers 54 is suitably connected to an opening 56 in the main member 10 by means of any suitable coupling 58.

By this arrangement the wheeled carrier 54 is propelled along the floor even though the floor may be uneven because the full rolling contact of the conveyor trolleys permit the track to be laid so as to conform to the floor surface and no excessive friction will be set up because of the uneven surface. The track may also make as many horizontal turns as desired because nothing but full rolling contact is maintained on all horizontal turns as well as vertical turns.

When the conveyor is not in use, the wheeled carriers 54 may be uncoupled from the conveyor and the floor surface is then entirely free for any other use desired.

v to the bracket 42.

I with the wheels 52 of the carrier 54 straddling the track.

This eliminates the necessity for a continuous pit.

In Figure the track is shown as supported by' a frame 60 which may comprise suitable legs 62.connected by a cross brace 64 with the legs 62. directly connected supported above the floor at any desired elevation to facilitate forming, fabrication or assembly functions upon work carried by the conveyor. In the modification shown in Figure 5 a trolley plate or main member is provided with a directly connected work support 66 whichvby way of example is shown as supporting a toy automobile 6,8 which is being spray painted. If desired,

the member 66' may be suitably'pivoted on thei'trolley member 10 and provided, projecting members 70 which may be contacted at suitable intervals by extending, 72. so, as to rotate the, object 68 being painted or havingsome other function performed upon it. The

details of a suitable pivotable structure for the work into the air at a sharp angle as shown at 80 to enableitto pass over an aisleway and then down onto another work bench or to continue up in the air until further accessto the work is desired.

Figure 8 shows how work pallets 82 may be directly connected to the trolley plates 10, for example, by welding, sons to directly support load elements 84 directly, over a work bench or. the like 86 in position to have In this manner the'track may be work performed upon the elements 84 as they pass along the assembly bench 86.

Figure 9 shows how the conveyor may be utilized to tow. wheeled carriers 88 along a work or assembly bench 90; This application is usually used wherethe work to be supported is extremely heavy, such as internal combustion engines or the like. I p

The conveyor of the present invention, for the first time, makes it practical to either-directly support or. tov tow heavy loads while making vertical and horizontal turns as desired in order to. conform to the. contour of uneven floors, pass around machinery and equipment, or pass from one floor to the other. It isavery simpleand fool-proof piece of material handling equipment.

which has a very low initial cost and a long life with a minimum of maintenance.

Various changes in the arrangement, size and shape of the various parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1s:

1. A conveyor comprising a pair of curved, horizontally spaced-apart concentric track sections having horizontally disposed faces and the inside one of which has a vertically disposed face, trolleys positioned between the track sections, each trolley comprising a main member, four vertically disposed wheels revolving abouthorizontal axes carried by said main member, a horizontally disposed wheel revolving about a vertical axis carried by said main member, a third track section having a horizontally disposed face and vertically displaced from the outside one of the two above mentioned track. sections a distance such that a. slight rock of the trolley in a direction transverse of the'line of its travel will bring two of the four vertically disposed wheels into contact with the horizontally disposed face of the inside one of the. horizontally spaced-apart track sections, the hori- 25 zontally disposed Wheel into contact with the vertically disposed face of the said inside track section and the other two of the four vertically disposed wheels into contact with the horizontally disposed face of the third track section, and links connecting successive of said "trolleys together between points on said main member located away from said horizontally disposed wheel in the direction of said vertically disposed wheels.

2. A conveyor as set forth in claim 1 in which the track sections have a T shaped cross section.

3. A conveyor as set forth in claim 1 including a fourth track section. having a horizontally disposed face and vertically disposed from the inside one of the concentn'c tnack sections to support two of the vertically disposed wheelswhen the trolley is not rocked.

4. A conveyor as set forth in claim 1 in which the four vertically disposed Wheels are at a lower'level than the horizontally disposed wheel.

. ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

